Centrifugal speed control governor



g- 1956 w. E. BENJAMIN CENTRIFUGAL SPEED CONTROL GOVERNOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 195s INVEN TOR. M94 22-? I. Erw n/m Aug. 14, 1956 w. E. BENJAMIN 2,758,829

CENTRIFUGAL SPEED CONTROL GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Mu m? f. Emu/9mm- United States Patent CENTRIFUGAL SPEED CONTROL GOVERNOR Walter E. Benjamin, Anderson, Ind., assignor to The Pierce Governor Company, Inc., Andersen, Ind., a cor porafion Application December 21, 1953, Serial No. 399,348

8 Claims. (Cl. 264-15) The present invention relates to centrifugal governors,

and particularly of that type adapted to control the speed of prime movers by controlling the fuel supply thereto in response to speed variations of the prime mover, this application being a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 267,268 filed January 19, 1952, allowed October 2, 1953, now abandoned.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a centrifugal governor which shall be extremely sensitive to speed changes and constant in its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a governor which may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled and disassembled, and in which the wear of the parts is reduced to a minimum.

A feature of the invention resides in the upwardly inclined stop arms embracing opposite ends of a driving pin and projecting under the rearwardly extending portions Of the weights to provide a stop seat therefor, and wherein through the combination of the rearwardly extending slotted portions of the weights driven through the driving pin and stop arms the structure is not only rendered more readily assembled, but reduces wear of the parts to a minimum. This combination further provides for a governor which may be produced at minimum cost and yet will be sturdy as well as extremely sensitive to speed changes.

For the purpose of disclosing the invention I have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the governor embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the governor parts sans the casing and certain operating parts.

Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 2, with parts removed, being illustrative of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 4 incorporating the modified form of the invention as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the stop arms in relation to the driving pin and shaft.

Fig. 8 is the same as Fig. 7 showing the front elevation thereof viewed from the left.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1-4, I provide a casing 10 in which is mounted a governor drive shaft 11 preferably having secured thereon a driving gear 12 adapted to be driven from the prime mover. This driving shaft is journalled at its rear end in a suitable ball bearing 12' and at its front end in a bearing 13 in the wall of the casing.

Extending transversely of the casing is an operating shaft 14 having mounted on the end thereof exteriorly of the casing an operating lever 15 adapted to be connected to the control of the prime mover and provided with an adjustable extension 16 to which is attached a coiled spring 17 anchored at its opposite end in any suitable manner and tending to bias on the lever 15 in its retracted direction.

The shaft 14, interiorly of the casing, is provided with a bifurcated operating lever 17 adapted to straddle the shaft 11 and providing a means against which the operating mechanism of the governor is adapted to react.

The governor proper comprises a sleeve 18 axially shiftable upon the shaft 11, and this sleeve is preferably made of sheet metal carrying at one end a thrust ball bearing 19 which is adapted to bear on the bifurcated arms of the lever 17. This ball bearing preferably has a pressed fit on the end of the sleeve 18 and abuts against a shoulder 20 formed in the sheet metal of the sleeve.

At what may be termed the rear end of the sleeve 18 is provided a weight support which comprises a flat plate 21 having a pressed fit on the rear end of the sleeve 18 and abutting a formed up shoulder 22. This plate has a pair of rearwardly extending parallel arms 23 which provide supports for the pivot members of the centrifugal weights. Pivotally mounted on the supporting arms 23 are the weight units including carriers which comprise flat plates 24, each of which is provided with a slot 25 in its rear edge and is provided with down-turned arms 26 which lap, exteriorly, the arms 23 of the plate 21. The arms 26 are pivotally connected to the rearwardly extending plates 23 by means of pivot pins which preferably take the form of a U-shaped pivot member 27 having its ends 28 providing pivots, and which are inserted in position from the interior outwardly through the plates-23 and the lapping arms 26. It is noted that by this arrangement the pivot members are maintained in position, after having once been assembled, by the shaft 11 which extends between the bases of the U-shaped pivot pins.

A thrust and driving pin 29 is driven through the shaft 11, the central portion being knurled as at 30, and it is to be noted that this pin is both axially and rotatably fixed relative to the shaft 11. The opposite ends of this pin project into the slots 25 in the weight carrier plate 24.

Centrifugal weights as at 30' are secured on the bottom face of each of the weight carrier plates 24, and preferably the inner faces of these weights are concaved to permit the weights to lie more closely adjacent the shaft. Said weight numbers, 30', carrier plates 24 and arms 26 constitute the complete centrifugal weight unit as herein referred to.

It is to be noted that the thrust pin 29 provides not only a thrust member against which the edge of the slot in the weight carrier plates abuts, but also due to its engagement with the slots provides a driving member for rotating the axially shiftable sleeve 18, its associated parts and centrifugal weight units.

In addition to the thrust pin 29 I provide a stop member 31 which comprises an arm receiving through an opening therein the shaft 11, and provided at its opposite ends with outwardly inclined arms 32 provided with slots 33 to provide a pair of bifurcated arms located on each side 24, and it is to be noted that as the plates rock on their pivots they eventually contact the arms and the arms form stops to limit the outward throw of the centrifugal weights.

Attention is called to the fact that the weights 30' are secured to the under faces of the plates 24 through the medium of suitable rivets 34, and note should be made of the fact that there is very little frictional engagement between the weight carrying plates 24 and the thrust pin 29. As soon as the weights commence to move outwardly under centrifugal force merely the rear edge of the plate contacts the pin so that friction at this point is reduced to the minimum.

Furthermore, it should be noted that due to the fact that the pivots for the weight units being individual pivots, they may be made much smaller, reducing the surface friction thereof, and that the length of the pivots, at least that portion which is frictionally engaged, is considerably reduced.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. to 8, inclusive, the structure and operation as illustrated and described in respect to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is in all respects the same other than the weight units are directly driven by outwardly projecting lugs 135 extending from the terminal ends of the inclined stop arms 131, which are otherwise in all respects similar to stop member 31 of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. Said arms 131 are in turn driven by drive pin 129 in the manner above described.

More specifically, said modified form includes shaft 11 carrying the shiftable sleeve 18 on one end of which there is mounted the thrust ball bearing 19 abutting the shoulder 20 formed in the sheet metal of the sleeve. In what may be termed the rear end of sleeve 18 there is provided a weight support portion comprising a flat plate 21 having a pressed fit on the rear end of the sleeve 18 and abutting a formed up shoulder 22. This plate carries the rearwardly extending parallel arms 23 which provide supports for the pivot members of the centrifugal weights. Pivotally mounted on the supporting arms 23 are the Weight carriers which comprise the fiat plates 24, each of which is provided with a slot 25 in its rear edge and with down turned arms 26 which lap the arms 23 of the plate 21. The arms 26 are pivotally connected to the rearwardly extending plates 23 by any suitable pivot pins, as indicated at 28. The above structure is in all respects the same as that heretofore described in respect to Figs. 2 and 4. Extending diametrically through the shaft 11 there is provided a thrust and driving pin 29 to be driven by said shaft. Centrifugal weights indicated at 30' are secured on the bottom face of each of the weight carrier plates 24 which, as above described, are concave to permit them to lie closely adjacent to the shaft. Loosely mounted on the shaft 11 is the stop member 131 which comprises a pair of radially extending aligned arms loosely carried on the shaft 11, said arms being inclined, as indicated at 132, and provided with the slots 133 through which the ends of the driving pin 129 extend for driving the stop member as the shaft 11 is rotated. The opposed arms 132 of the stop member 131 terminate in outwardly projecting lugs 135 extending through and slidable Within the slots 25 provided in the plates 24 of the centrifugal weight units.

Thus, it will be observed that in the modified form of Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, the operation is precisely the same as above described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4, but wherein the thrust and drive pin 129 and the projecting lugs 135 of the stop member cooperate to drive the weight units and receive the thrust for actuating the sleeve 18. Thus, the drive is transmitted from the shaft through the pin 129 to the stop member, and through the stop member to the weight units. Conversely, the thrust developed by the Weight units in the position of Fig. 6 is transmitted to the sleeve 18 through the medium of the lugs 135 on the stop member to the thrust and driving pin 129 which is fixed to the shaft. By reason of this arrangement it is not essential in production that the thrust and driving pin 129 be absolutely centered diametrically of the shaft since any off center position thereof will be compensated for through its engagement with the stop member arms and their driving engagement in turn with the weight units. Consequently, the movement of the weight units will be freely permitted without binding due to any off center position of the pin.

The invention claimed is:

1. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftable on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal weight units pivotally mounted on said sleeve having elongated slotted portions, a driving member secured to said shaft to extend radially therefrom into driving relation with said weight units, and a stop member mounted on said shaft having outwardly inclined slotted portions embracing the opposite ends of said driving member engageable by the elongated portions of said weight units to limit the outward movement thereof, the opposite ends of one of said members engaging in the slotted portions of said Weight units.

2. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftable on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal weight units pivotally mounted on said sleeve having elongated slotted portions, a thrust and driving pin member extending through said shaft, and a stop arm member mounted on said shaft having outwardly inclined slotted portions embracing the opposite ends of said pin member and engageable by the elongated portions of said weight units to limit the out-ward movement thereof, the opposite ends of one of said members engaging in the slotted portions of said weight units.

3. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftable on said shaft, a weight support mounted on said sleeve comprising a plate having a pair of spaced parallel arms, a pair of oppositely disposed weight carriers each comprising a substantially flat plate having a slot therein and parallel arms lapping said weight supporting arms, pivot pins extending through the lapping arms of said weight support and carrier, a centrifugal weight secured to each of said weight carriers, a thrust member secured to said shaft and extending radially from opposite sides thereof to provide opposed end portions, and a stop arm member freely mounted on said shaft having outwardly inclined slotted end portions embracing the opposed end portions of said thrust member and projecting beneath the plates of said weight carriers to limit the outward movement thereof, the opposed end portions of one of said members engaging in the slots of said plates for driving said weights and receiving the thrust therefrom.

4. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftable on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal Weight units pivotally mounted on said sleeve having elongated slotted portions, a thrust pin extending through said shaft having its opposite ends engaging in the slots of said slotted portions, and a stop arm mounted on said shaft having outwardly inclined bifurcated portions embracing the opposite ends of said pin, engageable by said elongated portions of said weight units to limit the outward movement thereof.

5. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftable on said shaft, a weight support mounted on said sleeve comprising a plate having a pair of parallel arms, a pair of oppositely disposed weight carriers each comprising a substantially flat slotted plate and having downturned parallel arms lapping said weight supporting arms, pivot pins extending through the lapping arms, a centrifugal weight secured on the inner face of each of said weight carriers, a thrust pin extending through said shaft and engaging in the slots of said weight carriers, and a stop arm on said shaft having outwardly inclined bifurcated portions embracing the opposite ends of said thrust pin and projecting beneath said weight carriers.

6. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially slidable on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal Weight units pivotally mounted on said sleeve having elongated slotted portions on their top faces, a driving and thrust member secured to said shaft to extend radially therefrom, a stop member carried by said shaft having outwardly inclined slotted portions embracing the opposite ends of said driving and thrust member engageable by the elongated portions of said weight units to limit the outward movement thereof, and thrust and driving projections on said stop member slidably engageable in the slotted portion of said weight units for driving said 5 weight units and receiving the thrust thereof transmitted to said sleeve.

7. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a sleeve axially shiftalble on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal weight units pivotally mounted on said sleeve having elongated slotted top portions, a driving pin extending diametrically through said shaft and secured thereto, a stop arm freely mounted on said shaft having outwardly and upwardly inclined slotted portions embracing the opposite ends of said pin engageable by the elongated portions of said weight units to limit the outward movement thereof, and a lug extending outwardly from the ends of each arm dimensioned relative thereto to have a sliding fit in the slotted portions of said weight units and provide a thrust shoulder on each side thereof for transmitting torque from said shaft to said units through said pin, said shoulders and pin receiving the thrust thereof.

8. A centrifugal speed control governor comprising in combination a rotatable shaft, a thrust member axially shiftable on said shaft, oppositely disposed centrifugal weight units pivotally mounted on said thrust member having elongated top portions, and a stop member mounted on and driven by said shaft projecting between and adjacent the top portions of said weight units for limiting the outward movement thereof, said stop member being operatively connected with said shaft and weight units for transmitting torque therebetween and receiving thrust transmitted to said thrust member upon said weight units moving under centrifugal action from their innermost to their outermost positions.

Hindle May 28, 1867 Janette June 21, 1949 

